


Living the Pogue Life

by acooper9716



Category: Outer Banks (TV)
Genre: Drabbles, F/M, Fluff, Gen, High School, One-Shots, Sharing Clothes, Singing, Studying, TikTok, drunk sarah, embracing the pogue life, slight AU, this could really become anything
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-07-01
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:53:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 14,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24547195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acooper9716/pseuds/acooper9716
Summary: A collection of Outer Banks drabbles that I shared on Tumblr (mostly centered around John B and Sarah).5. Putting in the Work6. Sleepwalking7. Never Will I Ever Be8. The Kook Life9. Lax Bro HairUpdated regularly with new drabbles.
Relationships: JJ & John B. Routledge, John B. Routledge & Kiara, John B. Routledge & Pope, Kiara & Pope (Outer Banks), Sarah Cameron & JJ, Sarah Cameron & JJ & Kiara & Pope & John B. Routledge, Sarah Cameron & Kiara, Sarah Cameron & Pope, Sarah Cameron/John B. Routledge
Comments: 28
Kudos: 100





	1. Okay, Drunkie

**Author's Note:**

> Rather than post a new work each and every time I write a new drabble for Outer Banks, I've decided to publish them all under one work as a collection. 
> 
> This was inspired by a prompt I saw somewhere and I liked the idea, so I ran with it. Enjoy!

Sarah was a funny drunk.

It wasn’t just the excessive giggles, unsteady dance moves, extra affection, and really corny jokes that she started telling after a few beers. If she drank enough, she usually started singing.

It didn’t matter if there wasn’t any music playing. Sarah sang whatever song was playing in her head. Sometimes it was Justin Bieber songs from 2008; other times, she started rapping Drake’s section from “SICKO MODE” by Travis Scott. Nine times out of ten, it was something from the top 40 station, Beach104FM, that played the same twelve songs on repeat from mid-May until the beginning of September.

The Pogues spent most of the day out at the beach soaking up the mid-summer sunshine and after returning to John B’s mostly sun-kissed, exhausted and hungry, they raided the fridge and the group collapsed on the living room furniture to nap.

A few hours later, the group sat around the campfire JJ built and were swapping stories from previous summer's and debating which Taylor Swift Era produced the best album while sharing 2 extra large pizzas and beers from the fridge.

" _Speak Now_ is hands down, the best TS album, and I will fight anyone that says the album is otherwise." JJ declares to the group.

Everyone but John B gives him a bewildered look.

"What? I enjoyed her country era! And "Sparks Fly" is probably the best song on the album. John B, back me up on this."

John B shrugs, taking a sip of his beer.

"You're a closeted Taylor Swift fan?" Kie accuses him.

He throws the hand he didn't have wrapped around Sarah's waist up to feign innocence.

"I don't think I've ever said I _didn't_ like her. I blame JJ and Sarah!"

Sarah's head whips around to her boyfriend in shock. "You told me you liked listening to Taylor Swift with me! Were you lying to me?"

"No, no, no, definitely not lying," he responds trying to avoid conflict. "I like listening to her with you. I didn't want the rest of them to know because one, Kie would roast the shit out of me, and two, that's our thing."

Sarah visibly melts in his lap and lets out an "awww" before grabbing John B's face and kisses him.

Her overly affectionate drunk side was coming out, but her boyfriend clearly wasn't complaining.

"Hell yeah I'd roast the shit out of you, John B," Kie shouts from the other side of the campfire. "Okay guys, there are other people present, please go get a room," she pleads when the couple continues to make out. 

When the couple finally separates, John B lets out a loud frat boy-esque "WHOOOO!" and high-fives JJ and Pope.

"Well personally, I agree with JJ that her country era was pretty great. _Speak Now_ had a lot of hits and I would definitely listen it from start to finish, but _Fearless_ was my favorite album," Pope shares with the group.

Sarah leans her head against John B's and starts singing under her breathe "Cause when you're fifteen and somebody tells you they love you, you're gonna believe them..."

"See, Sarah agrees with me. What's the best song from that album?" Pope asks while grabbing another slice of pizza from the box.

She's broken out of her singing trance.  
  
"Oh, _Fearless_ isn't my favorite album. The only two good songs on that were "Fifteen" and "Love Story." Sorry Pope," she apologizes. "I don't know which era would be considered my favorite… The _Red_ era had some of the best songs to sing at the top of your lungs to, but _1989_ was my middle school soundtrack. However, "Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince" is amazing and is probably one of my favorite songs from _Lover_."

Pope stares at her. "I don't know any of the words that just came out of your mouth."

JJ laughs and slaps his friend on the back. "Don't worry about it, man. We know you don't listen to anything current anyway."

"Hey Kie, can you toss me another White Claw?" the blonde girl ask.

She reaches into the cooler sitting next to her and grabs a can to throw to her.

"Sarah, your basic white bitch side is showing again."

The blonde scoffs. "Shut up, Kie, or I'll tell everyone the truth," she grins as she shouts to her friend 

"About wha- No. NO. You promised me!"

JJ perks up, "What? What's the truth, Sarah? What's Kie hiding?" He looks at Sarah who is struggling to open her White Claw while laughing against John B's shoulder.

Between laughing fits, Sarah manages to say "Kie secretly loved the _reputation_ era!"

"Sarah!" Kie screams at her.

"Why doesn't that surprise me at all?" John B asks, taking the White Claw can out of his girlfriend's hand and finally opening it for her.

The brunette stands up, "I just want to make it clear to y'all that I hate the Kardashians and Kanye and fully supported _reputation_ and Taylor Swift during that time because she was a complete badass and the alter ego she portrayed in 2017 was fan-fucking-tastic!" She pauses to take a swig of her beer, "and 'Look What You Made Me Do' is my favorite pop song. Are you guys happy?!"

"Oh, I'm very happy now, Kie. I knew you secretly liked at least one song by T-Swizzle," JJ says with a cheeky smile on his face.

She rolls her eyes at him.

"Kie, you forgot a song!" Sarah calls out. She shoves the White Claw into John B's hand and stands up from his lap.

"WE ARE NEVER, EVER, EVER, GETTING BACK TOGETHER, WEEEEEE ARE NEVER EVER EVER GETTING BACK TOGETHER," she belts out, startling her boyfriend enough to spill some of his beer on himself. She stumbles over to the other girl who is trying to hide her grin.

"Sing with me, Kie!" She squeals, throwing an arm over her friend's shoulder. "I know this is one of your favorites too!"

Kie starts laughing before joining in at the bridge of the song. Together they sing the chorus at the top of their lungs to the amusement of the 3 teenage boys sitting around the fire.

They spin each other around before they stop and dramatically act out the spoken bridge.

"So he calls me up and he's like "I still love you" and I'm like, I just, I mean this is exhausting, y'know, like we're never getting back together, like ever."

JJ and Pope double over in laughter while John B sits in his chair watching the two drunk girls have the time of their life. Drunk Sarah was very entertaining, especially when she started singing, and this was a memory they would laugh about later.

"Do ya hear that, Topper? WE ARE NEVER EVER EVER GETTING BACK TOGETHER! Cuz I'm dating John B and he's amazing and he's got way better hair than you and he didn't pressure me into sleeping- OHH!"

As soon as his girlfriend started shouting at the sky about her ex-boyfriend, John B set down his beer and stood up. He really didn't need Sarah to overshare the intimate details of their relationship. When he got close enough, he bent down and threw her over his shoulder.

"Okay drunkie, I think it's time for bed," he tells her, patting her butt as he starts walking towards the Chateau.

John B turns to the other Pogues, "We're going inside. You guys good here?"

The others nod their heads.

"I'm upside down, John B. OH! Did you ever see that Curious George movie? With that song "Upside Down?" It goes like 'I wanna turn the whole thing upside down, I'll find the things they say just can't be found, da da da da da… uhh I don't remember the rest of the song."


	2. Sleep is for the Weak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sarah and Pope are struggling while studying to take the SAT and ACT.  
> (Inspired by a prompt I found on Tumblr)

Once Pope got over the whole Pogue versus Kook thing, he considered Sarah joining the group a small blessing in disguise. There was finally someone else in his group of friends who shared similar future goals to his: college.

One step they needed to take to reach that goal was taking the dreaded college admissions tests.

By the time the summer ended, both heard more than enough from their parents about signing up to take the SAT (for Sarah) and the ACT (for Pope) prep classes at their respective schools and decided that, rather than take the class with people they would rather not be around, they would study for the tests together.

John B was thrilled that Sarah was making an extra effort to spend time with his friends, even if it was for school-related activities.

Kie was grateful Sarah would willingly take standardized practice tests with her boyfriend so she didn't have to wait around for him to finish one.

For the first few months of their junior year at Kildare County High School or the Kook Academy, the pair tried studying at least twice a month. Sometimes they took full practice tests; other times they worked through mind-numbing math problems together. It took several hours and left both of them mentally drained to the amusement of John B, Kie, and JJ.

"Are you losers taking another practice test?" JJ calls out to the pair sitting at Sarah's kitchen table one Saturday afternoon in mid-January. He walks through the doorway followed by John B, throws himself over the back of the couch, and props his shoes up on the glass coffee table.

Sarah and Pope respond with a loud groan.

"Dude, this isn't the Chateau. Rose will skin me alive if there are scuff marks on that table. At least take your shoes off," John B walks past him and pushes his feet off the glass. He makes his way over to Sarah and Pope, muttering "I don't need another reason for her to not like me," under his breath.

"How's the studying going?" he asks as he throws an arm over his girlfriend's hunched-over back and presses a short kiss to the side of her head. He quickly glances at the practice math problem on her laptop screen and the four answer choices.

"What the hell are those answers?"

"I don't even know! Everything's a string of numbers that's blurring together," she complains, dropping her forehead to rest on the kitchen table with a _thump._

John B pats her on the back and slowly backs away.

Pope pushes his computer away from him and mimics the blonde's position.

"My brain is fried. I can't do this anymore but I need to get my practice test score up to at least a 32 to feel prepared," Pope huffs out. He picks his chin up and looks at Sarah. "Did you send Kie our Starbucks orders?"

She lifts her hand to give him a thumbs up. "Yep, she texted saying she's on her way with them now."

"Is she-"

"Yes, she said she's bringing food too."

"Thank God," he happily sighs.

JJ looks over his shoulder towards the pair and smirks.

"John B, are they okay? Did they read too much or have they punched the keys in their calculators so hard that they got electrocuted and now their brains are fried?"

"They're fine, they just need some caffeine in their systems and they'll be back at it."

"When do they take those stupid tests again? And why does it matter so much to the nerds?" JJ pulls out a joint and lighter that is quickly snatched out of his hands.

"Dude!"

"Not in the house, okay? Ward may be my guardian but I still feel like a guest and I'm not going to fuck this up because you wanted to smoke inside."

JJ mutters beneath his breath, "Moves in with a Kook and actually starts to care about the furniture."

John B was about to respond when they hear the front door open and close, followed by footsteps.

"I can't believe that of all the great coffee houses we have in this town, you sent me to Starbucks to get you guys caffeine," Kie rants as she walks through the doorway. "You're fueling cooperate America and- oof, damn," she pauses when she spots her boyfriend and Sarah lifting their heads from the kitchen table and looking in her direction. "Never mind, you guys definitely look like you need the coffee."

She approaches the table and sets down the coffee carrier to run her fingers through Pope's hair. He lets out a content sigh as the tension in his brain is suddenly relieved.

"How's the studying going, Sar?" she asks the blonde who grabbed her coffee and was chugging it.

Sarah held a finger up as she finished off the drink.

"Horribly. Thank you for the coffee," she answers before grabbing her laptop, calculator, pencil, and paper to continue working on the math problem.

Kie turns her head to look at John B, silently questioning his girlfriend's behavior. _What's her deal,_ she mouths while tilting her head at the blonde.

He shrugs. _Stress? I don't know,_ he mouths back to her.

She raises her eyebrows but doesn't say anything. Pope finally stands up to greet her with a long hug and a "thank you for the coffee and food," whispered in her ear.

He throws an arm over her shoulder and takes the bag of food from her as they join JJ and John B on the couch.

Kie turns to face John B and JJ as Pope unwraps the sandwich she brought him and takes a bite.

"Is she okay? She looks completely drained, John B. I don't think I've ever seen her that tired," she asks, concern evident in her tone.

"I don't know anymore. I think she's stressing herself out to the point where she isn't sleeping. There were a few times where I'd wake up in the middle of the night and would see her bedroom light on upstairs. I'm sure she was studying since it's all she's talked about for weeks now. She keeps saying 'sleep is for the weak', but she's crashing,"

"Maybe she just needs some of that John D to help her relax," JJ says, winking at him.

John B leans forward to rest his elbows on his knees and lets out an embarrassed groan.

Between bites, Pope adds, "Every test prep book we've gone through has said that you need to get a good night's sleep the night before you take the test. If you think she's not sleeping now, she's definitely not going to be sleeping on Friday night."

"I never thought I'd ever say this, but John B, you've got to cut her off from the practice tests. If she doesn't know the material now for next weekend, then she doesn't know it. She can retake the test next month if she doesn't get the score she wants," Kie shares while rubbing Pope's shoulder.

"Seeing you guys get nervous about a test where you literally fill in a bubble on a sheet makes me glad I'm not going to college. The College Board- that's what it's called, right?" JJ waits for nods confirming his question, "The College Board is just a scam anyway. Who needs a shitty test to tell you that your smart, anyway?" He scoffs.

"That shitty test is what will probably help me get a bunch of scholarships for school, so I'm not going to apologize for buying into a scam, even if it is making me lose my mind," Pope fires back while chewing.

"GUYS! Can you go argue somewhere else? I can't work here with you arguing while my brain is being fried to a crisp by inequalities and fractions," Sarah shouts from the other side of the room.

The Pogues go quiet, exchanging fearful glances at the blonde's angry voice.

Kie finally speaks up. "Should we-?"

"Yes," JJ and Pope quickly answer her and stand up, ready to leave.

Pope returns to the kitchen table to grab his laptop and practice test book. He pats Sarah on the shoulder in encouragement.

"Hey, take breaks. We can always retake the damn thing if we have to," he reminds her with a smile.

Sarah returns the smile and watches the trio walk out the front door.

Once the front door clicks shut, she leans back in her chair and releases a deep sigh. She doesn’t need to open her eyes to know that her boyfriend is cautiously looking at her. Sarah opens her eyes and gives John B a tired smile. She shuts her laptop and stands up, slowly walking towards him and the couch.

He leans back on the couch and opens his arms for her to fall into, which she immediately does.

John B wraps one arm around her waist while the other rests along her upper back to pull her hair out of the messy bun she hastily threw it into that morning. Sarah presses her nose into his neck and quietly hums when he starts running his fingers through her hair. She could feel the tension that had built up in her head, neck, and shoulders over the last several weeks slowly slip away with every pass his hand made through long hair.

The couple lay on the couch quietly for a few minutes when he notices her breathing slow down. He opens his eyes to see the blonde fell asleep. He reaches for his phone resting on the coffee table and sets an alarm in two hours to wake them. John B lets out a soft laugh and presses a kiss to Sarah's forehead.

"Sleep is for the weak, my ass, Sarah Cameron," he mutters to himself before tightening his hold on her and falling asleep with her in his arms. 


	3. Sharing Clothes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This may or may not be inspired by Chase and Madelyn and all the photos I've seen on Instagram of them wearing the same clothes… Slight AU where John B lives with the Cameron's and Ward doesn't try to kill the guy. I just really love Jarah B.

Sarah quickly discovered that living in the same house as her boyfriend was both a blessing and a curse. It was a blessing because she could see John B everyday and she knew that he had a roof over his head. It was a curse because they couldn't hide behind closed doors or get any sort of privacy at home without someone (usually her Dad) shouting at them to keep their hands above the waist and where they could be seen. She also witnessed some of his living habits first-hand.

While her room was kept fairly clean and organized, his room at the Cameron house resembled a state of disarray she knew matched the Chateau. It wasn't messy, per se; it was definitely lived in, with a pile of dirty button-up shirts and sweatshirts in one corner, grey bandanas and hats scattered across the dresser and bedspread, and his green camo backup resting against the wall.

Sharing a room was completely out of the picture but that didn't mean they didn't spend time curled up with each other around the house (with the door open, of course). There were mornings when she'd wake to the sound of her bedroom door opening and his footsteps on the hardwood before the sun rose. He'd climb in next to her, wrap an arm around her and gently squeeze her waist before pressing a sweet kiss to her temple and taking off to the marina for work. Other days, she'd prop herself up with the pillows on his bed with a book and wait for him to return from whatever adventure he went on with JJ and Pope around the island that day.

It was strangely domestic.

Sarah and John B were meeting the Pogues at The Wreck late one afternoon. She was ready to leave and knocked on his bedroom door. 

"It's open," she hears him call out, so she pushes open the door and steps inside.

Sarah smirks at the sight in front of her: John B with damp hair and shirtless, digging through his drawers for a clean pair of socks.

"I didn't realize I was getting a show before we got dinner, but you don't see me complaining," she says, leaning against the back of the door with her arms crossed.

Her boyfriend glances over and shakes his head laughing.

"You know, John B," she starts, kicking a dirty t-shirt on the floor towards the pile next to the door. "We have this thing. It's called a laundry chute. You put dirty clothes in it so they eventually get washed. It's down the hall. Do you need me to show you where it is?" She gives him a charming smile while sitting down on the bed.

He playfully rolls his eyes, tossing a pair of socks onto the bed before moving over to the closet.

"Have you seen my button-up? The one with the palm leaves on it?"

She pauses to think, then shakes her head. "Nope." _Yeah, actually, I have seen it. It's up in my room where you left it last week, along with that pink sweatshirt you always wear that I've now claimed as mine_ , she thinks to herself. She lifts her right hand and examines her nails, "Have you looked in that pile of laundry by the door?"

John B narrows his eyes at her. On the hand Sarah was checking her nails was a familiar grey bandana wrapped around her wrist. _What else does she have that's mine?_

He walks to where she's sitting on the bed and stops between her dangling legs. She wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him closer so his hands rest on either side of her.

"Hey, Sarah?"

"Hmm?" She lifts her chin.

"What's that on your wrist?"

Sarah pulls her left arm away from his neck to show him, feigning innocence.

"Oh, nothing." Her eyes sparkle in amusement.

"Your other wrist, Val," he raises an eyebrow at her while grabbing the other arm around his neck.

"Oh, that! I just found it laying around. Besides, you have, like, ten other bandanas just like it laying around this room, so I thought you wouldn't miss it," she explains, shrugging her shoulders.

John B chuckles at her nonchalant response.

"Sarah," he leans closer. "Where's my shirt?" He asks her as he starts dropping kisses along her neck and shoulder.

She closes her eyes and lets out a breathy sigh as she tilts her head to the side to give him more access. _Don't give in, Sarah, don't give in,_ she tells herself while wrapping her arms around his neck again.

Suddenly she lets out a screech of laughter when John B starts tickling her sides. She falls back on the bed giggling as he continues his assault on her sides.

"Okay, okay! Uncle!" She calls out between laughs, admitting defeat. "It's upstairs where you left it last week!"

John B smiles down at her. "Now was that so hard to admit?" He leans down to kiss her before running upstairs to grab the button-up from her room.

Sarah stares up at the ceiling while she catches her breath. When she hears footsteps coming down the stairs, she sits up.

"Look what else I found in your room," John B grins as he walks through the doorway holding the button-up, the pink hoodie, and another t-shirt that belonged to him.

"Uhh…" she quickly shields her eyes with her hand and to hide the blush rising to her cheeks. She was afraid to admit that having that hoodie and t-shirt brought her a lot of comfort when she knew he was at the Chateau instead of at Tannyhill. On the nights he might not physically be there in the house, she had something of his close to her. It kind of became her security blanket.

He stops in front of her and pulls the button-up shirt over his shoulders but leaves it hanging open to rest his hands on her shoulders.

"Sarah, it's okay! You don't need to be embarrassed," John B assures her when she meets his eyes again. "I think it's cute how you want to hold on to my stuff," he admits.

A smile spreads across her face but she doesn't say anything. She scoots to the edge of the mattress and starts buttoning his shirt. When she reaches the top, she smooths the shirt out for him.

Sarah stands up and wraps her arms around his torso. "Good," she finally says while resting her head against his chest. "Because that pink hoodie is one of my favorite things you own and it's mine now."

~

The Pogues crashed at the Chateau that night. Sarah woke up early the next morning and while John B was still asleep, she quietly went through his drawers for an extra t-shirt to change into. They fell asleep in his bed wearing their clothes from the night before, so she changed out of the crop top and denim skirt she had on into his t-shirt. 

As she dug around the mostly empty pantry for something to eat, she heard his footsteps approaching from behind her.

John B stops behind her and wraps his arms around her waist, tucking his face into her neck.

"Good morning," she softly greets him, leaning back against his chest.

"Hell yeah, it's a good morning," his voice muffled against her neck. "How is it that you look so much better in that shirt than I ever did?"

Sarah turns to loop her arms around his neck. "Isn't it scientifically proven that girls automatically look better in their boyfriend's shirts?"

John B pretends to think about it, then nods, "Oh yeah, definitely read that in the Scientific Journal of Relationship Studies." He scoops her up in his arms, "Pretty sure the issue is somewhere in my room. Want to read it?"

Sarah wraps her legs around his waist as he carries her back into the bedroom. "What did it say about removing said shirt?"

"Well, let's find out, shall we?"


	4. Claim Your Tree

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sarah makes John B participate in a TikTok.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on a TikTok trend I saw back in May that was super cute but I couldn’t participate in it because I don’t have a boyfriend. This is super short. I am not responsible for any and all dental work you need done as a result of reading this. Please enjoy. :) 
> 
> (https://vm.tiktok.com/ogSThp/)

"John B! Come here," Sarah called out as he walked out the back door of the Chateau. She sprang out of her chair and propped her phone up against the back of it.

As soon as he was close enough, she grabbed his arm to pull him closer.

John B gave her a questioning look. "What's up?"

"I need you for a TikTok! How tall are you? You're at least 6 feet tall, right?"

"Last I checked, I'm 6"1. Why does it matter? And what are you making?" He was very confused by his girlfriend's enthusiastic behavior.

"Okay, great! Just stay right where you are," she tells him as she runs over to her phone to push the 10-second timer.

As soon as the countdown begins, she returns to his side, smiling.

"Just listen to the audio and look at the camera! It will make sense in a moment," Sarah assures him.

 _Huh,_ he wonders to himself. _What the hell is she making me do?_

The timer countdown stops and a female voice starts speaking.

"If you're over 5"10 or 5"10, you are a tree." Sarah gestures at him, showing off his height to the camera.

_Okay… this is strange._

"If you are under 5"10, you're a squirrel."

He looks down at Sarah as she starts to show off her height, then stops to wrap her arms around his neck while giving him a devious grin.

The audio continues, "Find your tree. Claim it. It's yours now."

_What the-_

Sarah cuts off his train of thought when she jumps up and wraps her legs around his waist.

His hands automatically move under her thighs to catch her as he stumbles back slightly. When he recovers his balance, Sarah has her forehead leaning against his shoulder laughing.

"So that's all I am to you in this relationship?" John B asks, faking his disbelief. "I'm just a tree for you to claim?"

He loosens his grip on her legs to set her down on the ground, but she doesn't remove her arms from around his neck yet.

"Of course not, Vlad. Who else am I supposed to go on secret spy missions to Chapel Hill with if not you?" She rises on her toes to kiss him. "Thank you," she says against his lips before pulling away and grabbing her phone to view the video looping on TikTok.

As Sarah watches it and selects a filter, John B wraps an arm around her waist and gently tugs her back to sit down on the chair she vacated a few minutes earlier. When they're seated, he rests his chin on her shoulder to watch what she is doing.

"So why did you claim me as your tree for a video?"

"It's for a TikTok! I saw a similar video on my For You page and I wanted to recreate it," she explains. When she looks back at him, she sees his confused facial expression.

"You know what TikTok is, right?"

"No," he shakes his head.

"There is so much you need to learn about pop culture, John B. Let me post this and I'll explain."


	5. Putting in the Work

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> JJ is in a mood and blames John B's behavior changes on Sarah. Pope offers some clarity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by a conversation I had on Tumblr about Sarah's influence on John B's life after they start dating and an idea that JJ and Sarah would have an amazing friendship dynamic, but she needs to earn it. Thanks for reading!

"Princess, I don't know what you did to my boy, but he's not ditching class to go surfing with me anymore, and I'm pretty sure it's your fault." JJ accuses Sarah one afternoon in early September. The school year had started three weeks earlier at Kildare County High School while Sarah had been back at school at the Kook Academy for a month. He slammed the front door of the Chateau behind him and Pope, startling her from the Shakespeare play she was annotating for homework while waiting for her friends to return from school.

Sarah narrows her eyebrows at the lack of greeting.

"No 'Hey Sarah, how's it going?' It's nice to see you too, JJ," she answers. "How is that my fault? I don't tell him what to do," she says defensively, setting the book aside and standing up from the kitchen table.

"He's whipped, and that's because of you." JJ gets in her face, pointing at her before he stalks towards the fridge for bottled water.

Pope tosses his backpack on the couch and walks into the kitchen area.

"Ignore him, Sarah. He's lashing out because John B isn't giving him nearly as much attention as he once had," he tells her.

"Again, how is that my fault?" Sarah crosses her arms over her chest and starts to walk towards the agitated blond. He dodges her and tries escaping outside but runs into John B instead. 

"Whoa, man. Slow down. What's going on?" John B grabs his friend’s shoulders to stop him from going outside. He was confused by JJ's frustrated behavior that only appeared to escalate more and more throughout the day. When he pulled the Twinkie up next to Sarah's grey Volvo a minute earlier, he sensed his friend's frustration turn into anger but couldn't determine the cause of it.

"Your girlfriend has you whipped as fuck, man. You're not nearly as much fun as you were before you started dating and living with a Kook." JJ pushes past him in the doorway and storms outside.

John B sends an apologetic look her way, his eyes silently telling her, _he doesn't mean that. Please don't be upset._

Sarah throws a hand in the air and rolls her eyes. "Whatever," she mumbles under her breath. _That's all I am to him- a Kook_ , she tells herself.

John B throws his bag on the couch next to Pope's and in a few strides, is standing in front of Sarah. He gently grabs her chin to force her to meet his eyes.

"Hey, whatever you're thinking right now, stop. It's not true," he tells her softly. "He's just in a mood, okay?"

She nods and gives him a tight-lipped smile as he presses his lips against her forehead. When he turns to go outside and confront JJ, she sits down and tries to refocus on the play.

"What the hell, JJ? Is this because I wouldn't skip after lunch to go surfing?" She hears John B shout at the blonde guy leaning back against a tree while lighting a joint.

"Nah, man, it's cuz you wouldn't share your carrot sticks with me at lunch," the sarcasm dripping from his voice. "Of course it's because you wouldn't skip! She's getting in your head, John B, and she's making you do stuff you normally wouldn't do."

"Look, Peterkin knew my grades started slipping when Dad disappeared. I barely passed the 10th grade. If Ward is going to be my legal guardian and give me a roof over my head, I have to prove to him that I can take care of myself, and that includes my grades. That was one of the terms we agreed to: I need to keep my grades up. He's given me a lot since taking me in. It's the least I can do to pay it back," John B explains to the blonde. "And would you leave Sarah out of this? She didn't do anything, okay?"

Sarah drops her pen on the table and rests her head in her hands, sighing. She hated listening to the two guys argue.

The room was quiet except for the argument taking place outside and the sound of Pope digging through the cabinets. 

"Ya know, even though we haven't been back for very long, he's actually trying in school," Pope shares, breaking the silence.

Sarah picks her head up and turns in the seat to look at him. She tilts her head to the side, a puzzled look on her face.

"I don't know how much John B's told you about the months following Big John's disappearance, but it was really rough last year. He was never a perfect student, but he always did pretty good for himself, mostly because he wanted to impress Big John. When he disappeared, John B would just cut class for weeks on end, skip to go surfing with JJ, or cause trouble during the classes he actually showed up to." Pope finds a box of fruit snacks and opens it. He turns around to lean against the counter and look at her.

"The way I see it is this: you've been a really good influence on him ever since you two started dating, even if you didn't realize it. As strange as the situation is, living with your family has given him a sense of stability. While I know it's not exactly the "family" unit he was expecting, I think you and your dad have influenced him to get his life back on track and motivated him to try again in school. Plus, he's still here and not with a foster family on the mainland which is where he would be if your dad had not signed the papers. He's showing up to school mostly on time, I've seen him in the counselor's office at least twice for meetings, and he's not cutting class to surf with JJ like he did last year."

He tosses her two fruit snack packets that she catches easily before continuing.

"JJ is just pissed off because John B is reverting to his old behaviors, but he's changed his habits a bit. He's always tried to convince JB to cut class as soon as we got to high school and it sometimes worked. It became more frequent last year when Big John disappeared. Personally, I think JJ just wanted someone to skip with him because he has a hard time staying focused long enough to complete the work and is too stubborn to ask for help and because most of our teachers truly don't give a shit about us, but that's a whole other problem."

Sarah leans back in her chair as she processes everything Pope was telling her. John B had shared bits and pieces of the nine months following his dad's disappearance with her, but never anything about school. While she wasn't shocked that his grades slipped or by how much he seemed to lean on JJ during that time, she was surprised by the amount of influence he had over him. 

"Since you two started dating, John B has changed, but not for the worse. He sees you working hard in school and he wants you to be proud of him. Big John focused more on searching for the Royal Merchant than he ever did he did on JB's grades, and now that someone actually gives a crap, he doesn't want to let you down. He's more open and honest with us. As cheesy as it sounds, he's definitely happier than he was a year ago. He's not nearly as pissed off at the world as he once was, and I know for a fact that it's because you care about him, Sarah. "

Pope pauses and looks out the kitchen window at the two guys still yelling at each other. John B and JJ started shoving the other around a few minutes ago and were hopefully releasing some excess energy. He rips open the fruit snack packets in his hand and pushes himself off the counter to sit with her. 

"JJ probably sees those changes as a threat- he may fear that he's losing John B to you and your 'Kook ways', as stupid as that sounds, so lashing out and blaming you was the easiest option," he explains before dumping the fruit snacks into his mouth.

Sarah quietly considers what he said.

"Am I really taking up that much of John B's time though? I hate to take him away from y'all. You, JJ, and Kie have been part of his life much longer than I have, and I don't want to be the girl that comes in and steals your friend away just because I'm his girlfriend. I know how important the three of y'all are to John B…" her voice trails off.

Pope begins to laugh, to which she raises a carefully manicured eyebrow.

"Sarah, JB worships the ground you walk on. Is he whipped as fuck like JJ said? Maybe he is, yeah! We all know just how much he loves you- even JJ knows it, and you saw how he acted earlier. Don't take what he said personally because it isn't your fault. Trust me on that."

She feels some of the worry that initially filled her chest leave.

"Thank you, Pope. I'm really glad that John B and JJ have someone like you in their lives to look out for them." Sarah gives him a warm smile. She stands up and opens the fridge to grab two beers.

"Now if you'll excuse me, this Kook princess is gonna go break up the feelings fight taking place outside with beer."

She steps outside and lets out a shrill whistle, causing the boys to stop fighting and stare.

"Hey," she yells, leaning her hands against the wood railing.

"Are you two done crying about your feelings or do I need to come back in 5 minutes?" She waves the beer bottles out as incentives. The two teens look back at each other and nod in some silent agreement to leave the argument in the past.

Sarah smiles as the boys stroll towards the house, slapping each other's arms before climbing up the wooden steps to go inside. She hands John B the first bottle, which he takes with an appreciative smile, but she holds the second back from JJ.

"Come on, princess, what do you have against me?" JJ whines but makes no effort to grab the bottle from her.

_That's a step in the right direction._

"Nothing, JJ. I have nothing against you," she says, passing him the bottle.

JJ raises an eyebrow, his gaze going back and forth between her and his best friend standing in the doorway. Sarah senses his apprehension. John B leans his shoulder against the door frame to watch but doesn't say anything. He wants to hear what his girlfriend has to say to JJ.

"You've been in John B's life much longer than I have. I'm not trying to take him away from you or turn him into a Kook. That's the last thing I'd want to do. Anything different about him is something he decided to change for himself, not for me," she explains.

John B makes a sound in disagreement but quickly silences himself when Sarah narrows her eyes towards him.

JJ chuckles, "Dude, I told you that you were whipped."

"Maybe he is," she says, wrapping her arms around John B's side. "But he's your friend, more than anything. I don't want to get in the way of that."

John B tugs Sarah closer and rests his chin on her head.

JJ observes the couple and smiles. "You've got a good one, JB," he tells his friend.

"Don't I know it."

"Hello, I'm right here!" She tries to inject herself back into the conversation.

A smirk crosses JJ's face as he walks past the couple and clinks his bottle against John B's.

"We know, princess," he replied.

Sarah scowls and flips him off.

JJ bursts into laughter at her reaction. "Oh Sarah, I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship."


	6. Sleepwalking (Sequel to Sleep is for the Weak)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John B deals with Sarah's sleepwalking. (Sequal to Sleep is for the Weak)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An anon submitted an idea to my inbox on Tumblr: "You should do a blurb or one shot about Sarah sleepwalking in John B’s room at night lol i honestly wish that had been a real scene." I decided to take the idea and turn it into a sequel to "Sleep is for the Weak" (Chapter 2), so if you haven't read that one yet, please do!

John B didn't spend every night at the Cameron house. Ever since Ward Cameron signed the papers, making him his legal guardian, he had the freedom to come and go as he wished, which was something John B grew to appreciate. He was more than grateful for the room during the winter months when temperatures in North Carolina ran from 30 degrees to 50 degrees Fahrenheit on average.

One thing he didn't expect while living with Sarah was the sleepwalking. He thought she was joking when she told him that she sometimes would sleepwalk.

John B experienced Sarah’s sleepwalking for the first time the night before she took the SAT for the first time. He was about to fall asleep when he heard footsteps descending the staircase. Giving no thought to the noise, he laid his head on the pillow, about to close his eyes, but then saw lights flicker on from beneath the door and heard a chair squeak against the floor.

_Who could be out of bed at_ \- he glances at the time on his phone _-11:39 at night,_ he asked himself. 

He pulls on a pair of shorts he found laying on the floor before opening the bedroom door to investigate. Wheezie sometimes snuck downstairs late at night to grab ice cream for her and Sarah, but he heard the freezer open and close at least an hour earlier.

The lights were on in the kitchen and he could see Sarah sitting at the kitchen table with her back to him.

"Sarah," he whispers. "What are you doing up?" He rubs his eyes and walks closer but doesn't get a response.

Walking around the other side of the table, he tries again. "Val? Valerie?"

Still nothing.

Sarah was filling in a blank SAT bubble sheet and didn't appear to notice him. He waved a hand in front of her face and got no indication that she saw him.

_Is this the sleepwalking she told me about?_

He pulls out the seat across from her and cringes when it squeaks across the floor again.

Suddenly he hears Ward's voice call out from the level above- "Who's there?"

_Oh shit._

He stands up to meet Ward at the bottom of the stairs but stops.

_That's a stupid idea. Meet the guy who probably has a gun under his bed at the bottom of the stairs when he thinks someone broke into his house._

Ward runs into the kitchen with a gun in his hands.

_Yep, I was right. He has a gun in his room._

When he sees John B standing there, he lowers it, "John B, what the hell are you doing?"

"Uhh," he points at Sarah sitting at the table. "I think Sarah's sleepwalking. I heard some noise in the kitchen and came to check. I tried to wake her but she keeps filling in the bubble sheet."

Ward runs a hand across his face and lets out a heavy sigh of relief.

"That stupid college test is probably stressing her out and causing it. God, she hasn't done this in a while." He sighs, shaking his head. "I cannot believe I'm even considering this, but take her back to your room for the night. I'm not letting you try to get her back up the stairs in that state. Just make sure she gets up in time to leave."

John B quickly nods. "Yes sir. I've got her. I already planned to take her so my alarm his set. Sorry about the noise," he apologizes.

Ward shakes his head again and leaves the kitchen. When John B hears him ascending the stairs, he turns back to the sleepwalking dirty blonde filling in a bubble sheet.

"Alright, Val. Test prep is over for the night. It's back to bed," he tells her while grabbing the sheet from her and pushing it to the side. He lifts Sarah over his shoulder and carries her out of the kitchen, flipping the light switch off and making his way back to his bedroom.

John B pulls back the blankets tossed haphazardly across the bed and lays her down. He climbs in behind her and throws an arm around her waist before she can start moving again. Sarah quickly settles and lets out a soft snore. He chuckles, knowing he can tease her about the snoring in the morning and presses a kiss to her forehead before drifting to sleep.

~

Sarah wakes up to an alarm and feels an arm around her waist. Her eyes pop open and she looks around before realizing she was in John B's room. She sits up and rubs her eyes, trying to recall the events of the night before and how she ended up in his room. John B begins to shift beside her, fumbling around to locate his phone and turn off the alarm.

"What am I doing here? I don't remember falling asleep here last night," she asked, her voice heavy with sleep.

"Oh yeah, it's kind of a funny story. You were sleepwalking and filling out a blank bubble sheet for the SAT. I heard and tried to snap you out of it, but then your dad ran in with a gun, thinking we were intruders," John B explains, chuckling.

She falls back on the pillow and covers her face with her hands, groaning.

"Oh my gosh, I can't believe you saw that!" She suddenly sits up, "Wait- what time is it?"

He looks at the time on his phone, "It's 6:45. You've got another 15 minutes before you need to be up and getting ready to go, Val. I was going to start waking you up around this time anyway, but since you're already awake, we can use the extra time to snuggle," he grins while pulling her back down into his arms.

They lay quietly for a few minutes- she rests her ear against his heart while he draws random patterns along her back.

"How bad was I?"

John B huffs out a small laugh but doesn't stop his gentle movement. "You weren't bad. All you did was ignore me while you filled out a blank bubble sheet. Ward told me not to bother trying to get you back up the stairs and said you could sleep in here for the rest of the night. With the test today, we knew trying to wake you up would be a waste of time and you'd feel awful in the morning, so you got to spend the night with me."

He feels her tense at the mention of taking the dreaded SAT in less than 2 hours.

"Sarah, you've studied so much with Pope. You're as ready to take it as you could be, but if you don't like the score you get today, you can retake it next month, and we can relive your sleepwalking experience," he gently reminds her.

She put in more than enough hours preparing for the test over the past few months, and he hated to see her getting worked up over it. She was more than capable of doing anything she put to her mind to.

Sarah groans, "I know… I just want it to get it over and done with." She pushes herself up again and throws the blanket back to get out of bed.

"Wha- where are you going, Val? We've got at least another 10 minutes of cuddling time!" John B protests.

She looks over her shoulder while walking towards the door. "I need caffeine in my system, Vlad. We have to stop at Starbucks on the way, so, up! Chop, chop, comrade," she orders in a Russian accent and exits the room.

~

Sarah got a good score that day- a 1250 out of 1600. She knew she could get a better score in the math section.

A month later, John B dealt with Sarah's sleepwalking again. He was prepared- he stayed up and waited in the kitchen for her to walk in with the bubble sheet and pencil. Like the night before January's SAT, he intercepted the bubble sheet and pencil (not before he took a video to tease her about later) and guided her towards his room for the night.

As she walked out of the school and towards John B waiting in her Volvo, she felt confident that she got a better score. And she did- a 1315. Sarah left the school satisfied that she never needed to take another SAT. When she opened the passenger door, she was handed a tall coffee from Starbucks and her boyfriend's phone with a video queued up.

"What's this?" She asked him, raising an eyebrow while taking a sip of the coffee.

"Oh, nothing, just a video of you sleepwalking last night…"


	7. Never Will I Ever Be

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sarah and Kie talk about planning for the future.
> 
> Pairing: Sarah and Kie friendship with minor Jarah B

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was inspired to write this after reading a comment on my other fic, Way Down We Go. The comment said that Rose is the future Sarah so desperately wants to avoid, and I started to think about her future, as well as Kie's. I really wanted to explore their friendship a little bit more, and this is what came of it. Hope you enjoy!

"Have your parents started nagging you about college visits?"

Sarah and Kie were waiting at a corner table at The Wreck for John B, JJ, and Pope to arrive for an afternoon around the island. The end of August was quickly approaching and with that, came the start of another school year for the teens.

Sarah nods. "Yep. My dad has been wearing his UNC-Chapel Hill polo shirt a lot more frequently since school finished. I come from three generations of UNC graduates, and if Rafe isn't going to get his degree, then I'm expected to go there to carry on the Cameron legacy," she answers with a sarcastic wave of her hands. "What about you? Any upcoming visits planned to your parents' alma mater's?"

"I'm avoiding the college visits topic at all costs. The last thing I need to hear is my mom rambling for hours about how 'it was the best four years of her life' and for my dad to talk about how 'picking a school is like trying on a pair of shoes.' I don't even know if I want to go," Kie confesses.

She looks down and twists the bracelets around her wrist.

"I don't want to go to college because it's is expected of me. There are so many things I could do that don't require me to go to college. I could join the Peace Corp or travel the world… If I go to college, it’s because I want to finish my education. I don't know what I want to do yet either, so how can picking a topic for a major that I might not like that much benefit me?"

"Trust me, Kie, I know what you mean."

The girls fell into a comfortable silence as they start thinking about what their next two years would look like. After a few moments, Sarah blurts out, “Thinking about the future freaks me out!”

Kie looks at the dirty blond. "You and me both, girl. It's not just the idea of college that worries me- its everything that comes after it too. My mom was telling me before Midsummer's that she wanted me to ‘enjoy all the opportunities she had growing up here’ like attending Midsummer's and going to the beach club and all that other stupid Kook bullshit. My parents worked hard to give me this life, but it feels tone-deaf when there are so many issues in the world that we could solve. They know how much I enjoy going to beach cleanups and helping others and working to better the environment, but I feel like I don't always have their support. My heart is for serving others, not for sitting in a classroom." She stops and takes a sip of water from her Hydroflask.

"If my parents want me to look at colleges, I will. But I'm going to be the one who decides what schools we look at, not them. If they want to go with me, fine! But I'm the one who may or may not be going, so the search needs to be on my terms."

Sarah nods her head, agreeing, then tilts her head back to gaze at the ceiling. She sucks in a shallow breath as her mind starts to race. When she looks back at her friend, her face is flushed, and her eyes are watery.

"Whoa, Sarah, did I say something wrong? Why are you crying?" Kie was concerned by the sudden shift in the other girl's emotions.

Wiping her eyes, she speaks up.

"No, no, it's nothing you said. It's times like this where I really wish my mom was still alive. I wish I could talk to her about what I'm supposed to do in the future. I barely remember what she looked like except for the photos in my room."

Kie scoots closer and grabs Sarah's hand to give it a comforting squeeze. She remembered the dirty blonde girl lost her mom at a young age. Ward Cameron remarried two years later and Rose joined the Cameron family.

"What about Rose? I know she's like the evil stepmother from every Disney movie ever, but there has to be at least some useful college advice underneath all that teased blonde hair of hers," she suggests, trying to lighten the mood.

"God, no," she scoffs. "Rose is the last person I'd go to talk to about school. All she's told me so far about her college years is how rushing a sorority was the best decision she ever made. She's pushing UNC on me just as much as Dad is and I really wish she would shut up. She's not even my mother- she's certainly never acted like it, so why should I listen to what she thinks my future should look like?"

Sarah leans her head on Kie's shoulder and takes a shaky breath.

"Rose is everything I don't want my future to be. I don't want to be married to a guy like Topper who I met in college and be their arm candy at the country club or dinner parties. It's like you said- it's all Kook bullshit. My Dad worked so hard to get this family to where we are today but I want my future to be more than just being the pretty girl on some guys arm while he's on the golf course every weekend and I'm stuck making useless small talk and slowly drowning myself in alcohol."

Kie considers everything she just heard. She shared similar fears as the dirty blonde, but her "Kook" life was very different from Sarah's.

"So, what do you picture your future looking like, Sarah? Is John B part of it?" She asked out of curiosity and for the sake of her other friend's happiness.

Sarah lifts her head and reaches for the glass of water on the table. She takes a sip and gazes out the restaurant's window.

"I don't know, Kie. Ever since I started hanging out with you, John B, JJ, and Pope, I feel like my life has shifted on a new path. There's more excitement in it now than there was at the beginning of the summer," she admits. A soft smile spreads across her face as she continues. "We're only sixteen. I don't know what the future holds, but I really hope that John B stays in my life for a long time."

Sarah pauses and looks down for a moment. "I told him when we went to Chapel Hill that if I didn't get out of the bubble wrap my life was surrounded in, I would probably never escape it. I like that you guys have popped the bubble wrap around me- it's given me one of the most memorable summers ever. If someone told me that this summer, I'd break up with Topper, make amends with you, and ditch my Kook friends to hang out on the Cut with you, John B, JJ, and Pope, I would have flipped them off and laughed in their face!"

The girls giggle- they both knew Sarah would respond exactly like that.

"But here I am! I have new friends and an amazing boyfriend, and I couldn't be happier."

Kie wraps an arm around her friend and hugs her. "I'm really happy for you two, Sar."

"Thanks, Kie. And I'm really glad we're friends again."

Sarah then leans closer to the other girl and lowers her voice.

"I haven't told anyone this yet, not even John B, but I'm really interested in the College of Charleston. The photos I've seen of the campus are beautiful, and it's a third of the size of UNC, which I think I'd prefer to a huge school, but they're still Division 1, so I'd still get that exciting college athletics atmosphere. They offer this really cool minor in environmental and sustainability studies that I think I'd want to pursue in addition to a communications major."

Kie's jaw drops. "Really? That sounds perfect for you! When are you visiting?" She was thrilled to hear that Sarah was looking beyond what was expected of her and was expanding her horizons.

"Shh!" Sarah tries to quiet her friend, but she couldn't stop the grin from spreading across her face. Her excitement at finally telling someone that information was clear.

"No one else knows I'm interested, so please don't say anything! I don't know when I'll get to visit but I'm hoping to drag John B along for a trip to Charleston in September or October to walk around campus."

The two girls hear the Twinkie pulling up outside The Wreck, cutting their conversation off. The three boys’ voice's carry through the air as they stroll up the ramp leading to the front door. 

Sarah turns in her seat and holds her pinky finger out to Kie.

"Promise you won't say anything to the boys about what I told you?"

Kie grins and links her pinky with Sarah's, sealing the promise with a kiss on her thumb.

"My lips are sealed. Now let's go see what the knuckleheads have planned for us this afternoon," she answers as John B, JJ, and Pope burst through the doors.

"Ladies! Let's blow this popsicle stand, shall we," JJ declares to the nearly empty restaurant with his arms out.

John B walks past him as the girls stand up and approach him.

"How are the two most important girls in my life doing?" He asks with a charming smile as he throws an arm over each girl's shoulder.

Kie playfully shoves his arm off and rolls her eyes. "Uhh, no thanks, John B. Ugh, get a room, you two," she says feigning disgust as John B leaned down to kiss Sarah.

"Hi," the dirty blonde softly greets him, love shining in her eyes. 

"Hi," he repeats back before kissing her again.

"In case the happy couple forgot, there are other people in the room waiting to leave, so if y'all could wrap up the smooch-fest in the next couple seconds, we'd appreciate it!" JJ calls out.

Without breaking the kiss, John B and Sarah lift a hand and flip JJ off. Kie and Pope both laugh while JJ tries to think of a comeback.

"Yeah, well fuck you too, JB. I'm waiting in the Twinkie and I call shotgun."


	8. The Kook Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John B finds himself at his first Kook event with the Cameron family.

John B Routledge didn't expect his life to change much after Ward Cameron became his legal guardian. He was still a Pogue and lived on the island. The biggest difference was living in Figure Eight- under the same roof as his girlfriend (and her dad, stepmother, half-sister, and older brother). It was strange, but DCS wasn't after him, so he didn't question it.   
  
Ward "welcomed him to the family" the morning he signed the DCS papers at St. Olive's hospital after his accident at the Hawk's Nest. He assumed the older man said that to be polite- Sarah was sitting right there, after all.   
  
John B assumed wrong. Becoming "a member" of the Cameron family meant making appearances at the country club. Ward told him he didn't have to go, but Sarah's attendance was usually mandatory so he tagged along to be with her.  
  
He stared out the window of the Range Rover as Ward drove the family to the country club for some party for the membership.  
  
This felt wrong- being in this environment felt wrong.  
  
Sure, he looked the part in the seersucker jacket and pants with the pink button-up Sarah bought him in Chapel Hill, but he felt like a fraud.   
  
He didn't belong here.   
  
JJ and Pope teased him about the Kook perks all the time- the golf club membership; the fancy parties; the Sperry's and Vineyard Vines. They even started to call him Jonathan. It was dumb and they both knew how much the "Kook name" irritated him. 

His knee began to nervously bounce as they drove through Figure Eight. John B slid his left hand across the luxurious leather seats to grasp Sarah's hand as the car approached the club. She gave him a bright smile and squeezed it.   
  
"I'm really glad you came with me tonight," she says quietly. He turns his head to glance towards her. "I know you didn't want to be here, but it means a lot that you did."   
  
He gives her an uneasy smile. The closer they got to the country club, the more uncomfortable he feels.   
  
"Yeah, well I can't give Topper a chance to sweep you off your feet at these parties, can I?" He tries to sound unbothered by the circumstances, yet Sarah sees right through him and rolls her eyes.   
  
She leans over to press her lips to his cheek before whispering, "I know what you're doing," in his ear. John B gives her a quizzical look and opens his mouth to question it when the SUV stops under the covered entrance to the club and Ward opens the driver's door.   
  
John B quickly unbuckles and climbs out, following the other man to open the passenger side doors for the women. He holds a hand out for Sarah to take as she slides out and fixes her dress. She steps aside and watches her boyfriend extend a hand for Wheezie. 

The brunette gives him a strange look. "What's your game here?" 

John B shakes his head. "No game, Wheezie. Just want to help you get out of the car," he tells her.   
  
The 13-year-old shrugs and takes the hand, stepping out of the SUV to follow Ward and Rose into the club.   
  
Sarah steps closer to John B and smooths out the front of his jacket with her hands.   
  
"I know you're uncomfortable," she says quietly. "But you don't need to feel threatened by Topper, okay?"   
  
She meets his eyes and he let out a sigh.   
  
"It's not Topper I'm worried about. Its-" John B is cut off by her dad.   
  
"Sarah- come on, sweetheart," Ward calls out from the club entrance. His arm is looped with Rose's while Wheezie stands beside him.   
  
She glances over, "We'll be there in a minute. Go in without us, Dad!"   
  
Once she sees Ward nod and go inside, she grabs John B's hand. Together, they walk inside, but rather than follow her family, she pulls him down another hallway until they're standing in a sunroom away from the party.   
  
Sarah stops and leans her shoulder against the wall, crossing her arms over her chest.   
  
"All right, Vlad. You've been fidgety since we left the house. What's up?" She sounded determined to get an answer, but her eyes conveyed her worry.   
  
John B mirrors her position but his shoulders much tenser than hers. "Remember how in Chapel Hill, I said being in that store was like an organ with the wrong blood type? And you told me I was being dramatic?"   
  
She softly giggled at the memory and nods. "I believe I said, 'you are the single most dramatic person I've ever met!'"  
  
John B huffs out a laugh, "Yeah, you did call me that." He grabs one of Sarah's hands and stares at it while he runs his thumb across her knuckles. After a few moments, he turns serious and meets her eyes.   
  
"That day is nothing compared to this. Sarah, I am completely out of my element. I don't belong here with all these- these people. I feel like a fraud. I'm literally the organ in this situation."   
  
Sarah rolls her eyes and cracks a smile but continues listening.   
  
"Like, which fork am I supposed to use and when? Why are there even different sized forks and spoons in the first place? What's the point?" 

He looks around anxiously and runs a hand through his messy hair. 

"I'm just not cut out for situations like this. You know what- I'm just gonna go. The last thing I want is to embarrass you and your family by being here and-"   
  
Sarah pushes off the wall, steps forward, and grabs his face to kiss him, startling him. She feels his shoulders relax and his arms wrap around her waist to pull her closer. After a few moments, she pulls away.   
  
He breathes her in- her coconut shampoo mixes with the salt in the air and something that faintly smells like flowers.   
  
"You aren't a fraud, okay," she tells him as she runs her thumb up and down his cheek.   
  
John B opens his eyes and stares. The soft but repetitive movement on his face grounds him- she grounds him. Amid all the craziness life had thrown at him over the last ten months, the dirty-blonde haired and brown-eyed girl in his arms managed to bring a wave of calmness over him.   
  
"I know this is a lot but I won't ever ask you to change who you are- you've always been a Pogue. Just because you spend some nights on Figure Eight doesn't change that. I'm going to be right there beside you, Vlad. Don't worry about the spoons or the forks. Consider it undercover work for another mission. If it gets to be too much, we'll abort the mission and tell Ward that we're taking off early and take an Uber home," Sarah reassures him, smiling.   
  
"All right Val, I can do that," John B gives her a real smile. He leans down to kiss her once more before lacing their fingers together and leading her out the room and down the hallway towards the party guests.   
  
"You ready, comrade?" She asks in her Russian accent as they approach the doorway.   
  
He grins and squeezes her hand. "Of course I'm ready, Valerie. I wouldn't accept the mission if I wasn't."   
  
They step out into the summer breeze and walk towards Ward and Rose, who wave them over. Together, they dodge caterers with trays of appetizers and glasses of champagne, couples on the dance floor, and groups conversing about their latest home renovation.   
  
John B leans down and whispers in her ear, "I'm getting a dance with you before the night's over."  
  
Sarah gives him a flirtatious look. "Well, you better be on your best behavior, Vlad. Then I may consider it. But we can't let it interfere with the mission."   
  
"Right. Best to keep it professional," he responds in his terrible Russian accent, laughing.   
  
~

Two hours into the event, he and Sarah finally sit down for dinner. He met more people and learned more names than he could remember, got another gig prepping some rich family's boat for an upcoming fishing trip, and snuck away with Sarah a few times to make out in a corner. He was enjoying himself, surprisingly. Rafe was nowhere to be seen, and despite the dirty looks Topper and Kelce kept sending him, they stayed away from him and Sarah.   
  
John B leaned back in his seat and observed the crowd around him. So much wealth filled the room- old money, new money- it was evident by how these people carried themselves. He didn't feel as intimidated by it as he once had, but the stark contrast between the lifestyle here versus the Cut was evident.   
  
He could feel himself fidget the longer he sat in the chair.   
  
_Where was the food?_

Sarah glances over to him every few minutes while she chatted politely with Rose and another woman at the table- he knew she was aware of just how restless he was becoming.   
  
He wasn't nervous- he was just bored. _And warm. He was very warm,_ he thought, placing his right hand on his knee. John B checked over his shoulder for the waiter.   
  
After a few minutes, Sarah reached under the tablecloth and rests a hand atop the one sitting on his knee. She unconsciously began to trace circles with her thumb onto it without breaking from her conversation.   
  
He feels the excess energy leave him as he closes his eyes and focuses on the soothing motion.   
  
A few moments pass and John B feels a hand lay on his arm. He then feels Sarah rest her chin on the edge of his shoulder, so he opens his eyes.   
  
"Hi," she greets him softly.   
  
"Hi," he repeats back.   
  
"You doing okay, Vlad?"

John B nods. "The only thing I'm missing besides dinner is that dance you owe me, Val. Other than that, I've never been better."   
  
Sarah giggles. "Are you going to step on my toes?"  
  
"Ahh, yeah, I can't guarantee that. School dances were never my scene so…"   
  
She lifts her chin from his shoulder and dramatically gasps. "You never went to a school dance? Oh, we're fixing that in the fall!"   
  
"Sarah Cameron, are you asking me to the homecoming dance now? I don't even have the date on my calendar!" John B's jaw drops and he pretends to be shocked.   
  
"Shut up, John B, and make a move already. I want to dance with you and the music's changing," she says, playfully slapping his arm.   
  
He takes the hint and slides his chair back to stand up.   
  
"Val," he starts in his Russian accent, "may I have this dance?" He holds out a hand for her to take.   
  
Sarah pretends to think about her response. "I thought you'd never ask, Vlad," she says while taking his hand and standing.   
  
John B leads her out to the floor where several other couples are swaying along to the slow song in the background and wraps his arms around her waist.   
  
"Don't step on my toes, John B," she reminds him as she loops her arms around his neck.   
  
"Well don't make me, Sarah," he fires back, grinning when she rests her ear against his chest.   
  
Together, the leader of the Pogues and the Kook Princess slow danced to some classic love song as the sunset on the Outer Banks. They were wrapped up in their own bubble, everyone around them disappearing.   
  
The song was on the final chorus when Sarah lifts her head and leans her forehead against John B's.   
  
"I love you," she whispers.   
  
John B stops swaying for half a second and locks eyes with her.   
  
_Whoa._ He grins and pulls her closer. 

"There are so many things about you that I love- I love you because you came with me tonight even though all this kook bullshit is not you and I know you felt uncomfortable being here. I love you for dressing up in seersucker and a pink button-up when I know you'd rather wear an unbuttoned shirt and swim shorts. I love you for putting aside your own discomforts to be there for me and for trying to make the best of this weird situation. It means more to me than I could ever describe. I didn't ask you to make these small changes in your life, but you've put me and my feelings first more times than I can count since we started dating, and I really love you, John B." Sarah gives him a shy smile while gazing into his eyes.   
  
He lets out a soft laugh. "Damn, you're trying to outdo me after my speech in the rain, aren't you?"   
  
Sarah half-heartedly hits his arm.  
  
"Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news," he starts, "but our mission is compromised, and it has for a while- because I love you too, Sarah."  
  
John B watches her eyes light up as she hears his words.   
  
"That was a mean way to tell me you love me, John B," Sarah whispers against his lips. She doesn't try to hide the joy across her face.   
  
As soon as the song ended, they broke apart.  
  
"We should probably go back to the table before Ward decides that he doesn't want to watch the kid he became the legal guardian for make out with his daughter and he drops me off at DCS."   
  
Sarah rolls her eyes. "He won't do that. I doubt he was even paying attention. You know how he gets when he starts talking about boats."   
  
John B shrugs and steps away to grab her hand and lead them back to the table. A few feet away from the table, Sarah stops and pulls him back.   
  
She presses her lips to his cheek and whispers, "I love you," in his ear. 

When they reach the table, he pulls out her chair for her to sit and pushes it back in. As he unbuttons the seersucker jacket and slides into his seat, he catches Ward's eye and nod of approval.   
  
Sarah grabs his hand under the table and resumes the familiar circular movement while she speaks to Wheezie.   
  
_Tonight could have gone plenty of ways,_ John B thought. He sees Sarah glance towards him from the corner of his eye and winks, causing her to giggle. _Holy shit, she loves me._

~

They return to Tanneyhill after midnight. Sarah took off her shoes in the car and held them in one hand as she leaned against John B's side and walked through the front door, exhausted from the evening's activities.   
  
She tosses the heels into a basket beside the door and looped her arms around his neck when they stopped in front of his bedroom.  
  
"Thank you again for coming tonight," she whispers. "Once my Dad's turned in for the night, can I sneak into your room?"   
  
"You never have to ask me, Val. I'll be waiting," he answers, giving her a sleepy smile. Leaning down to kiss her, he whispers, "I love you."  
  
"I love you too. Don't fall asleep without me," Sarah reminds him. She turns to climb the stairs to her bedroom.   
  
John B expected the evening to be a shit show. It ended up being one of the best evenings of his life. Maybe this Kook life wasn’t as bad as he thought…

  
  
  



	9. Lax Bro Hair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John B needs a haircut... and a nap.

Sarah Cameron was propped up against the couch arm on the Chateau's screened-in porch while John B laid on top of her, dozing. The lower half of her body fell asleep almost two hours ago, but she wasn't complaining. She was comfortable and was spending some quiet time with her boyfriend after his very early morning shift at the marina.

She started playing with his hair an hour ago, lulling him to sleep when she noticed just how long it was getting.

"John B?"

He shifts slightly but doesn't wake.

Sarah smiles and drops her chin to rest her lips against his scalp. He returned to the Chateau drained from work but had enough energy to quickly shower before he found her spread out on the couch reading outside. He snatched the book from her hand and replaced the bookmark before sitting down with his back to her front and leaned back.

She loved the quiet, intimate moments like this. Her boyfriend became more relaxed and let his guard down to a degree that not even JJ, Pope, or Kie had seen. Witnessing the soft and affectionate side of him warmed her heart, especially since it was a side he only showed when he was around her.

What she didn't exactly love was the long hair he was now sporting. It reminded her of the frat or lax bros she'd seen at UNC football games with her family, and not in a good way.

"John B," she said again, this time gently scratching her nails against his scalp.

His face scrunches up before he lets out a sigh and settles again. A content smile slowly crossed his face, yet she didn't notice any change in breathing to indicate he was awake.

Sarah lets out a soft huff of laughter. While she wasn't one for sleeping in the middle of the day, her boyfriend _loved_ to take mid-day naps whenever he could. Most days, he was hanging out with JJ, Kie, and Pope on the HMS Pogue or driving the Twinkie around the Cut with her, so if a quiet afternoon presented itself, he would jump at the chance to nap.

"John B…" She quietly sings into his ear, dropping kisses down the side of his face. "You're never going to fall asleep tonight if you keep napping," she reminds him while poking him in the cheek with her pointer finger.

John B grunts and mutters, "Stop it," while slapping her hand away from his face.

"Excuse you!"

"Yeah, well, sorry but you were asking for it. You woke me up from my nap," he whines, blinking the sleep out of his eyes before flipping his body over and balancing his weight on his forearms.

Sarah gives him a questioning look as he shoves his hands between her back and the pillow she is leaned against, and gently tugs her down to lay flat across the couch. When he's satisfied she is comfortable in the new position, he slides his arms between the small of her back and the old couch cushion to wrap around her waist, closes his eyes, and rests his head on her chest. John B is more affectionate than usual when he's tired; this was not the first time Sarah found herself in this position.

She lifts his chin to balance on her sternum and ruffles both hands in his hair, giggling.

He opens his eyes and narrows them toward her.

"What's so funny? Why did you wake me from my nap, Sarah?" He was tired and really wanted to snuggle with her for a few more hours before JJ burst through the doors of the Chateau.

Sarah twirls some of his hair around a finger. "You need a haircut, John B! Your hair is getting pretty long!"

He lifts his head from her chest and scoffs. "No it's not," he argues.

She tilts her head to the side and raises an eyebrow. "Do you want to know what you look like?"

"What do I look like?" He asks her in a mocking tone. _This should be good,_ he thought.

"You look like a frat guy or a lax bro tailgating at the UNC football games my Dad takes my family to each fall. I bet you have enough hair for a man bun," she tells him.

 _She thinks I look like a frat or a lax bro? That means I must look like a Kook,_ he reasons.

Her face lights up. "Oh, let's test that," Sarah exclaims, sitting up and pulling one of the hair elastics off her wrist. She reaches for his hair and manages to pull it into a small bun despite his protests and half-hearted attempts to move.

"Yep, you have a man bun, John B. Please get a hair cut," she pleads. "Aren't you warm with all that hair?"

It was the first week of August and the North Carolina heat was definitely hitting everyone hard. The power company finally restored electricity to the Cut after Agatha, but the Chateau didn't have the luxury of an air conditioning unit like other homes. While John B would probably never admit it to Sarah, his neck suddenly felt a lot cooler in the bun she threw his hair into, and he knew he needed to cut it.

He meets her eyes and shrugs.

"I could probably cut it for you if you want," she happily suggests.

His eyes go wide. _I can't tell if she's being serious or not._

"Sarah, I love you, but you're not coming anywhere near my hair with scissors." The words rush out of him before considering what he just said.

"What? Why?" She made the offer somewhat jokingly, knowing she'd probably do a terrible job. Ward could get him an appointment with his barber if he was interested, but she knew how he felt about using the Cameron's money. Now she was slightly offended that he wouldn't even consider the idea that she cut his hair.

"Kie's the only person I trust to cut my hair. She's done it before and I'm sure she'll do it again for me if I ask," he explains, laying his head down against her chest again.

"Oh," she pauses. "That makes sense," Sarah thinks aloud. She twists around to grab her phone from the table beside the couch. The screen lights up with a few notifications, including a text from Kie, asking if they were still meeting at The Wreck that evening. Her thumbs fly across the screen to respond before she pauses to glance at the boy on top of her.

 _I need a photo of this_ , she says to herself. Sarah flips the ringer on her phone off and switches to the camera to discretely snap a photo of John B.

She sends the photo to Kie- **_John B has a man bun. Can you please give him a haircut?_**

A few seconds later, a typing message bubble appears followed by a new message- **_WTF._** **_I got you, girl._**

Sarah laughs at her response. She sets the phone down beside her and pokes his shoulder to wake him.

"I need my hair elastic back, John B. Pick your head up," she tells him. He presses his nose into her sternum as she pulls the elastic out and runs a hand through his hair.

"Kie said she'd give you a haircut."

John B hums in response. "Tonight?"

"I guess," she answers, shrugging. "We're meeting her and the others in two hours at The Wreck."

She pats his side. "I need you to get off me for a sec. I want to sit up." He pulls his arms out from under her back and presses up into a plank above her.

"Show-off," she mutters under her breathe while shoving a hand against his shoulder. He watches her sit up and lean against the couch arm, grinning.

Once she's settled, John B shuffles himself around, so his back is propped up against her front. Sarah wraps an arm around his shoulder while the other hand rests on his head and gently rubs his scalp. He releases a content sigh and grabs the hand on his chest to play with her fingers.

After a few moments of silence, Sarah speaks. "You know I was joking about cutting your hair, right?"

John B lets out a laugh that she feels rumble through her chest. "Yeah, I figured you were… Hey, can I see your phone?" He twists his head to look up at her.

She grabs the device laying beside her and hands it over without a second thought.

He presses the power button to check the time. "Hey- that's a shitty photo of me. Why is it your lock screen?"

Sarah looks over his shoulder and giggles. The photo was of him with a slice of pizza hanging from his mouth during their trip back from Chapel Hill.

"All the other selfies from the trip cut off one of our faces, and that was one of my favorites so… I made it my lock screen," she explains.

John B shakes his head and swipes to open the camera.

"Yeah, no. I look stupid. That's not going to be the first thing you see every time you turn on your phone," he argues while flipping to the front camera.

She playfully rolls her eyes and smirks, resting her chin on his head as he takes several closeup selfies. When it was just the two of them together, the boy laying on top of her became a softer and goofier version of himself. Apparently, that version of him also included caring about the photo she had of him on her lock screen and taking selfies at awful angles for fun.

"Give me that," Sarah tells him, grabbing the phone from him after he takes a few hundred burst photos. She slaps his hand away when he tries to snatch the phone from her again, and opens the photo album to swipe through the pictures.

"Help me pick since you're the one who wants to change my lock screen so bad," she says, resting the hand holding the device on his chest so he can swipe through and pick.

"Oh! I got it!" John B exclaims. He sets the photo as the lock screen, then shows her.

Sarah throws her head back laughing when she sees it. "Oh my gosh, John B! Your nose looks huge! Did you purposely take a bad selfie to make me laugh?"

Her boyfriend shrugs, a dorky smile spread across his face and doesn't answer her.

She rests her chin on his head and throws her arms over his shoulder to squeeze him tightly.

"You're ridiculous and I love your goofy side, John B," she whispers in his ear. "But we're taking a better picture soon because I don't think I could explain this to anyone," she concludes, planting a kiss against his cheek. 


End file.
